Trash & Recycling in Effingham County, GA (2026)
10 rules for unincorporated Effingham County, Georgia.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
In unincorporated Effingham County, curbside trash pickup runs on exact windows: containers can't go out earlier than the day before collection, must come back in within 24 hours after, and can't be overfilled past the lid, under Sec. 66-104(a)(2) and (a)(6).
Effingham County Curbside Pickup Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsEffingham County Code § 66-104(a)(2)a.1.(iii), (a)(6)a, c
(iii)Overage is not permitted. ... (6)Placement of containers and collection hours.a.Each residential service unit shall place the residential solid waste storage container, bulky waste, white goods, and/or residential recovered materials storage container at the designated residential collection location, for collection by the authorized residential service provider, no earlier than the day pr...
Bin Placement Rules
In unincorporated Effingham County, each residential unit is issued a single 90-gallon cart for weekly collection. Code Section 66-37(a) sets a roadside window: carts must be staged with the lid facing the road by 7:00 a.m. on collection day and pulled back by 8:00 p.m., or as soon as the truck empties it if collection runs late.
Effingham County Garbage Cart Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsEffingham County Code § 66-37(a)
(a)All residential units will be issued one 90-gallon cart for once weekly solid waste collection. The cart must be staged at the roadside, with the lid opening facing the roadway, by 7:00 a.m. on the scheduled day of collection. The cart is to be removed from the vicinity of the roadside by 8:00 p.m. on the scheduled day of collection, or as soon as the waste is collected if after 8:00 p.m.
Bulk Item Disposal
Large discarded items over three feet in any dimension or 50 pounds, from mattresses to refrigerators, only get curbside pickup in unincorporated Effingham County if the homeowner's service agreement covers bulky waste. Sec. 66-104(a)(2) also makes owners prep white goods before crews will take them.
Effingham County Bulky Waste Pickup Rules
Some RestrictionsEffingham County Code §§ 66-103, 66-104(a)(2)
Bulky waste means discarded items that are larger than three feet in any dimension, and/or heavier than 50 pounds in weight, and, therefore, too large to be collected in residential municipal solid waste storage containers or carts, including, but not limited to, items such as mattresses and box springs, indoor/outdoor furniture, swing sets, plastic swimming pools, large toys, bicycles, fish aq...
Recycling Requirements
Unincorporated Effingham County doesn't guarantee curbside recycling to every household; residential recovered materials are collected only when the county's contract with its waste hauler requires it. Sec. 66-104 and Sec. 66-32(f) put the Board of Commissioners in charge of deciding what gets recycled and how.
Effingham County Recycling Collection Rules
Light RestrictionsEffingham County Code §§ 66-32(f), 66-104(a)(2), 66-105(6)
(f)The board of commissioners may establish rules and regulations for the collection of recyclable materials. ... 3.Collection of residential recovered materials.(i)Residential recovered materials shall be collected by the residential service provider if required by the service agreement issued by the county.(ii)Each residential service unit owner may contact the residential service provider or...
Holiday Pickup Schedule
Effingham County's contracted hauler collects residential trash between 7:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, in unincorporated Effingham County, but Sec. 66-104(a)(6)b. shifts the collection window to Monday through Saturday during any week that contains a holiday so no route gets skipped.
Effingham County Holiday Trash Pickup Hours
Light RestrictionsEffingham County Code § 66-104(a)(6)b
b.Except as otherwise allowed by the county, all collection of residential solid waste by residential service provider shall be performed between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, or Monday through Saturday during a week which contains a holiday unless unforeseen circumstances causes a delay in waste pick up which could cause the waste to be picked up after 6:30 p.m.
Illegal Dumping
Sec. 42-4 of the county code bars dumping, depositing or throwing litter, including construction-site waste like concrete washout, chemicals or debris, on any public or private property or waters in unincorporated Effingham County. A conviction draws a fine of $200 to $1,200, plus reimbursement of the county's cleanup cost, and the code enforcement officer is the primary enforcer, with courts able to order violators to personally pick up roadside litter.
Illegal Dumping Penalties in Effingham County
Some RestrictionsEffingham County Code § 42-4
(c)Prohibition against littering public or private property or waters. It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to dump, deposit, throw, leave or cause or permit the dumping, depositing, placing, throwing or leaving of litter on any public or private property in the unincorporated limits of Effingham County or any waters in the unincorporated limits of Effingham County unless: ... The dis...
Yard Waste Collection
Yard trimmings in unincorporated Effingham County must be kept separate from household trash and can't sit at the curb more than seven days. Sec. 66-104(a)(4) also caps bundles at four inches thick, three feet long, and 50 pounds, bagged in sturdy paper, never plastic.
Effingham County Yard Trimmings Collection Rules
Some RestrictionsEffingham County Code § 66-104(a)(4)
(4)Yard trimmings collection service.a.Yard trimmings may be composted by a residential service unit owner on the owner's property in accordance with the laws and regulations of the state and county. ... g.The following provisions shall apply to the placement and collection of yard trimmings:1.Yard trimmings shall be segregated from residential solid waste.2.Yard trimmings shall be placed withi...
Dumpster Rules
Commercial and institutional generators of more than 100 pounds of waste weekly in unincorporated Effingham County cannot use the county's cart-based hauler; Sec. 66-37(b) requires them to arrange independent collection, while (i) and (j) bar anyone from relocating a dumpster or scavenging around one without written Board of Commissioners consent.
Effingham County Commercial Dumpster Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsEffingham County Code § 66-37(b), (i), (j)
(b)Commercial units, non-profit and or philanthropic entities and places of worship, with not more than 100 pounds of waste per week shall subscribe for service using 90-gallon cart(s) for once weekly solid waste collection. ... Commercial units, nonprofit and or philanthropic entities and places of worship, that generate more than 100 pounds of waste per week shall secure solid waste collectio...
Collection Schedule
In unincorporated Effingham County, every residential unit must use the county's contracted residential service provider for weekly curbside pickup and pay an annual service fee before the county issues a certificate of occupancy, under Sec. 66-104(a)(1) and (a)(7).
Effingham County Mandatory Trash Collection Service
Significant RestrictionsEffingham County Code § 66-104(a)(1), (a)(7)
(1)Collection services provided by residential service provider.a.All residential solid waste shall be collected by a residential service provider that has been issued a service agreement by the county.b.Residential service provider shall provide weekly curbside collection services in accordance with the terms of the service agreement issued by the county to the residential service provider. .....
Recycling Rules
In unincorporated Effingham County, curbside and drop-site recycling only holds materials the Board of Commissioners has designated as recyclable. Sec. 66-37(l) bars dumping waste, water or litter into any county-owned or contracted recycling cart, container, dumpster or receptacle, and lets the board require that recyclables be kept separated from trash.
Effingham County Recycling Container Rules
Some RestrictionsEffingham County Code § 66-37(l)
(l)No person shall deposit waste, water or litter of any kind at any county disposal site into county-owned or contracted carts, containers, dumpsters or receptacles designated for the collection of recyclable materials. Only materials designated by the board of commissioners or their designee may be deposited in such containers. The board of commissioners may require that recyclables be separa...
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